COLUMBIA, Mo.—Social media has changed how consumers connect with brands, but small business owners may find it a challenge to use social media to grow their business, says TaylorAnn Washburn of University of Missouri Extension.

Two new MU Extension publications, which are available for free download, help business owners take on social media with a focused approach, Washburn said.

“Simply being online isn’t enough in today’s digital-first world,” she said. “Having a clear strategy and an actively engaged audience is key for small business online presence, whether that’s generating sales, building an email list or increasing on-site visitors. These guides can offer a roadmap to help business owners build a strong online following and craft content that leads to action.”

Washburn noted that several participants in a recent marketing workshop hosted by MU Extension indicated they lacked the expertise to engage in concerted marketing efforts online.

“I’ll admit, I’m not too social media savvy,” said one workshop participant. “But I learned my target customer uses Facebook regularly, and I want to build better content on the platform to reach them.” Another participant noted their target audience appears to be moving away from Facebook and wants to reassess ways to find and engage customers.

Evolving customer preferences, geographic differences and business capacity are important considerations for today’s farm and food businesses, Washburn said. The new publications were created to help businesses address those considerations.

Post, Engage, Grow: A Social Media Primer is for businesses that want to build a strong social media base. This guide helps readers choose the right platforms, identify their target customer, create a professional online presence and grow an engaged audience base.

Harnessing Social Media To Drive Sales takes businesses a step further, according to Mallory Rahe, MU Extension assistant professor. The guide helps readers move from simply “being online” to leveraging their social media as a tool to generate results. Business owners learn how to set goals, develop a content plan, craft effective social media content and evaluate performance.

“Many business owners attempt to post on social media but don’t see results,” said Rahe. “By following the considerations in the ‘Harnessing Social Media To Drive Sales’ guide, they can put a plan in place to maximize their time and effort on social media and see returns in their sales, web traffic or other conversion points.”

Washburn noted that whether businesses are just getting started or looking to refine their approach, these resources offer strategies to help them connect with customers and drive results.

Both publications are available for free download:

• “Post, Engage, Grow: A Social Media Primer,” https://extension.missouri.edu/publications/g6225
• “Harnessing Social Media To Drive Sales,” https://extension.missouri.edu/publications/g6229